Taking care of plants.
The first thing my niece (3) and nephew (5) do when they get in the house is check what plants need to be watered by sticking their hands in the potting soil. The plants and taking care of them has achieved peak interest for a few months. Two caveats, 1) they do not live with the plants 2) It is a ploy to get the water spraying can out. They also equate it with working somewhat as a few rules have to be abided by - wear shoes because the citrus plants have thorns that fall on the floor. The floor has to be swept... etc. The concept of state phase changes of water was introduced to the newphew this weekend as there is snow outside where we live. We got to the idea that if he knows the right numbers he can add together how much heat is needed to melt the snow. This is all at the 5 year old level but the conversation got there.
Ask HN: STEM toy for a 3 years old?
41–50 of 144 posts
Re: Ask HN: STEM toy for a 3 years old?
#42Everyone else is suggesting things to purchase, so I'll suggest things you can find or do outside. The last few are from [1], which I came across a while ago. - Play "identify the waterfowl in the park" followed by "chase!" and (for larger geese and swans) "run away!". [This should satisfy the other comment "play sports instead".] - Then, collect sticks in the woods and build a shelter. Extra points for using differe…
Don't chase birds for fun
Re: Ask HN: STEM toy for a 3 years old?
#43I'm astonished to see nobody has mentioned Duplo (aka junior Lego) yet. My 3yo loves hers and 3 is about the right age because at 2 they're not quite dextrous enough to handle the blocks and build anything more than square blocks.
Re: Ask HN: STEM toy for a 3 years old?
#44Duplo.
When he’s a little older, I highly recommend Fisher-Technik kits, they were by far my favorite toy growing up (but aren’t cheap!)
Re: Ask HN: STEM toy for a 3 years old?
#45MAGNA-TILES was the best toy we ever purchased and would be perfect for a three year old.
https://www.target.com/p/magna-tiles-clear-colors-37pc-set/-...
They are a little pricy but one of our child's favorites.
LEGO and LEGO Duplo is a good choice too.
We used to do science nights too, with simple experiments, answering your child's questions about anything, how does this work, etc.
Once they are a little older Lego Mindstorms (Robotics) are great, check out Lego First Lego League, we coached a team for a few years, great experience.
Re: Ask HN: STEM toy for a 3 years old?
#46a) figure out how to make the "messy and dangerous" doable.
b) I had some success by playing boardgames (even Carcasone) at this age, with some rules-simplifications
c) sometimes we played games on my phone, Monument Valley, I love Hue, Chuchel ...
d) Buying and launching a model rocket was a success, if he'd enjoy watching from the distance and then trying to find the rocket again :-)
e) in simmilar fashion, building a kite (or buying ... tbh I usually do both, because building is fun, but the store-bought actually works :P ) ... but you need good wind-conditions to fly it
f) museums are surprisingly good these days, especially modern technical museums can often entertain both 3yo and 30+yo
Re: Ask HN: STEM toy for a 3 years old?
#47Everyone else is suggesting things to purchase, so I'll suggest things you can find or do outside. The last few are from [1], which I came across a while ago. - Play "identify the waterfowl in the park" followed by "chase!" and (for larger geese and swans) "run away!". [This should satisfy the other comment "play sports instead".] - Then, collect sticks in the woods and build a shelter. Extra points for using differe…
Don't chase birds for fun
I didn't mention it, but a search for "waterfowl guide children" brought up 90% American sites about killing ducks. So chasing them seems like a minor issue.
(Adding "site:uk" to the search gives 90% results about feeding ducks.)
I can't find any official advice on whether chasing birds is considered healthy or harmful to either the child or the birds.
Re: Ask HN: STEM toy for a 3 years old?
#48A magnifying glass, a prism, etc -- things that look cool and inspire questions about the world
Re: Ask HN: STEM toy for a 3 years old?
#49Pens, paper, boxes, wooden bricks, some backyard junk. Simple things that will spark his imagination and make him design and invent.
Mannnnn remember getting a new large appliance and anxiously waiting for the box to be empty so you could go climb into it and turn it into a spaceship or submarine or something else?
Re: Ask HN: STEM toy for a 3 years old?
#50LEGO! Either traditional Lego (they have some Junior sets that are perfect to have them build along with a parent at that age) or Duplo. It's led to hours and hours of fun with my 2.5 year old. Even larger Lego sets he enjoys helping me build. And then he builds his own creations after!